Summer has just begun but you’re already dreading the end of it. The cure? Go on an adventure. Go somewhere you’ve never gone before. Embrace a change of scene. When you come back, you’ll be the one telling stories to envious relatives at Thanksgiving. Here are WildChina’s three recommendations for the fall:
Photo Expedition with Sean Gallagher – The Silk Road Through your Lens
This trip is a photographer’s dream. Not only will you travel to one of the most exciting regions in China, but you will do so with world renowned photographer Sean Gallagher at your side. Sean’s work has appeared in TIME Magazine, The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, Der Spiegel and National Geographic China. By camel, car, and foot you will traverse and explore the western edge of China’s silk road. Xinjiang is an arid land whose dusty planes and colorful markets provide plenty of subjects for the expert and novice photographer alike. At the end of each day, Sean will sit down to discuss your shots with you and help push your work to the next level. Part of this adventure will involve sleeping under the stars in yurts, a tailor made opportunity to allow you practice working with exposures. This trip’s itinerary alone has us chomping at the bit, but if you are a photographer who loves to travel, this journey cannot be missed.
Guizhou Festivals:
If you’ve been to China’s major cities already or would simply prefer a look at China’s countryside, Guizhou is the answer. In addition to its breath-taking landscape of verdant mountains and misty lakes, Guizhou is also an exceptional cultural destination. In the Fall, the Miao people–a Chinese minority–hold a collection of festivals that will leave you awestruck. From buffalo fighting, to horse racing, to dancing you will see it all amidst shimmering head dresses and eye-popping colors. For those of you particularly fascinated by China’s minority populations, we will be happy to take you further south to explore the villages of the Dong and Zhuang people. And if you would like an even closer look at local life we can arrange a home stay. With a dynamite cuisine that rivals the spices of Sichuan,your journey will be as much an adventure for your mind as your palate. To time your visit with the Miao people’s Lusheng festivals we would recommend visiting either Nov. 9-11th or Nov. 10-12th.
If you do JUST one trip in China, this is the trip for you. Hand crafted by WildChina’s founder Zhang Mei, –within the firm we call this the Insider China trip– you are sure to experience everything that China’s cities and countryside have to offer. Additionally by coming in the fall, you will have the opportunity to experience a somewhat cooler China then the one you may know from the summer. In Beijing, you will marvel at the expansive courtyards of the Forbidden City and at the beauty of the Great Wall as it stretches out of sight. As you float down the Bund on a Shanghai evening you will admire the amalgamation of Western and Eastern architecture in a dazzling display of sparkling lights. In the countryside of Yunnan you will get a chance to see China’s lush forests up close in between a quiet morning with a minority shaman and dinner in Lijiang’s Old Town. By the time you are stepping onto the plane to head home you will have learned many things. But the real lesson will be that you cannot just do one trip to China.
———-
First photo by Sean Gallagher, other photos by WildChina.
